Big Brother
by metro.max
Summary: Sokka's not jealous, really, he's just... being a 'big brother'. [short series, 5 of 6 up] [Tea II: Sokka and Mamoru have a needed chat about a certain Earthbender.]
1. Big Brother

**Disclaimer: **Ah, what it must be like to own Avatar...

**Author's Notes: **Because I like OCs. Because I like Sokka more.

This is an idea I've had for a long time now and finally got around to writing. I didn't mean for it to be this long, but I had such a fun time writing it and it came so easily that I couldn't help the length. Besides, I like long oneshots. xD And for anyone who's read _Ba Sing Se_ from my Tokka collection _Just Him and Her_, this is not the same Mamoru. I figure that it's a pretty popular name in the Earth Kingdom (plus I really like the name lots), so I used to again. And as much as I love Foamy, I like this Mamoru better (though some may not).

So, please **review** and let me know what you think!

Alisa

* * *

**Big Brother**

"Um… excuse me?"

Toph Bei Fong, head bent down and eyes lowered, picked up a mango—at least, she thought it was a mango—from the cart in front of her and squeezed it, just like Katara had taught her to do. Toph had never really gotten the logic of squeezing the fruit before you bought it, but did it out of habit anyway. Deducing that it was a worthy mango, she put it in the basket she was carrying and reached for another one to test.

"Excuse me…"

Toph tossed another fruit in her basket and frowned. Whoever was in charge of this mango cart ought to answer that annoying person's question—he'd been standing behind her for nearly a minute, repeating himself over and over.

"Excuse me, Miss—erm—Blind Bandit, ma'am…?"

Toph stiffened. Blind Bandit…? But—that was her!

She spun on the spot and observed the boy. He was about her age, she guessed, for his height and weight. He was strong, and definitely a Bender—she could tell by his stance and the way the Earth twitched just a bit beneath his feet. He was nervous, though—his heart was beating wildly in his chest.

Finally Toph answered. "Yeah?"

"Uh—hi. You—you're the Blind Bandit, right? 'Cause you look just like her and I just wanted to make sure I had the right person 'cause it would be really embarrassing if you were just some regular—"

"I'm the Blind Bandit, kid, don't worry about it," Toph cut in, quickly growing irritated with his chittering.

"Ah!" He literally jumped, a few pebbles bouncing up when he landed. "Um—hi! I'm Mamoru, and when I saw you I knew I had to talk to you since you're only, like, the greatest Earthbender of all time and everything." He took a deep breath and continued on. "I saw you in Earth Rumble 10 and you were _amazing_. You took out the Badgermole like he was nothin' and when that guy—mm, the Boulder—challenged you at the end and you just said, 'Whenever you're ready, the Pebble!'—that was the best! Can I have your autograph?"

Toph blinked blind eyes and tried to focus on something else to get the buzzing of his voice out of her ears. She didn't understand how one person could say so much in so little time.

Suddenly he gasped.

"How stupid of me! How could I ask for your autograph—you're the Blind Bandit! Ooh, that was so rude of me! I'm so sorry, please, let me make it up to you—are you buying those mangos? Let me pay!"

"Mamoru." He stopped the instant she spoke. "That's your name, right? I like it."

"Ah, thank you!" Mamoru exploded. "My mother picked it 'cause it means Earth and she's an Earthbender!"

"You're a Bender, too," Toph said, setting her basket of fruit on the ground.

"Yes! How can you tell?" asked Mamoru eagerly.

Toph stomped her foot and used her hands to lift a thin slab of rock before replying, "I can tell by your stance. You stand like an Earthbender."

"Thank you! No one's ever told me I stand like an Earthbender before!" He grinned brightly, like she'd just given him the greatest compliment.

"I've never done this before…" Toph muttered to herself. "Mamoru, what d'you want me to write?"

"Huh? What're you talking about, Miss Blind Bandit?"

If she hadn't been quite as annoyed with his cheery disposition and constant chattering, Toph might have found his nickname for her slightly endearing.

"For your… autograph," Toph said. "I've never had anyone ask me for one before, so—what d'you want me to write?" She sounded slightly embarrassed and yet proud.

"Ah! Just your name is okay!" Mamoru quickly said. "But—uh—if you want to write more, you can!"

Wrinkling her nose in concentration, Toph pressed her finger into the rock and carved out the letters of her name in neat, curving lines. She held out her work in front of her.

"Toph," said Mamoru from over her shoulder. "Hey, is that your real name?"

"Oh." She shook her head at her own stupidity. "Sorry. D'you want me to change it? I can write 'the Blind Bandit,' too."

"Ah, no, you don't have to change it!" he cried. "Please don't ruin all your hard work! You can—you can just add the Blind Bandit next to it!"

Toph rolled blind eyes and carefully formed the words "the Blind Bandit" under her real name as Mamoru continued to chat.

"So, is Toph your real name? I like it! I once knew a girl named Toph. She worked at a tea shop near my house and me an' my mom would go there every Sunday for tea. She was really nice and always gave us extra refills!"

Toph pressed the stone in his hands. "Here," she said, pausing to pick up her basket. "Well, I gotta go."

"Wait, you still have to pay!" Mamoru shouted dramatically before Toph even had the chance to walk away.

"Right." Toph pulled a few coins from a purse buried deep within her basket and began sorting through them.

"So, where'd you learn to write like that, Miss Toph the Blind Bandit?" he asked, hovering over her shoulder as she searched for a bronze coin.

"My friend taught me," Toph said absentmindedly as she handed the money to the vendor. "It wasn't that hard to learn."

"Hey! Didn't you travel with the Avatar, too?" Mamoru questioned, bouncing along next to her as Toph began her search for the next item on her list.

"Yeah, I did," Toph muttered. "Tell me when you spot a vegetable cart, okay?"

"Sure thing!" he cried, accidentally kicking up a rock. He quickly melted it back into the ground and said, "Did the Avatar teach you how to write?"

"No, my friend Sokka did," Toph corrected. "Actually… I'm supposed to be shopping with him right now, but I lost him ages ago at some cart that sold jerky."

"Hmm… isn't he the one from the Water Tribe?" Mamoru wondered out loud.

"Yeah. He's from the South Pole. Is that a vegetable cart?" Toph pointed to their left at a large cart.

Mamoru gasped. "It is! You're good at this!"

Toph marched up to it and tapped her foot. "Help me pick out some carrots, would you?"

"Okay!"

There were a few moments of precious silence as they picked out carrots before Mamoru cried, "Hey, I think I see Sokka! He wears lots of blue, right?"

Toph dropped a carrot in her basket and shrugged. "So I've been told."

"And he's really tall!" went on Mamoru, all thoughts of selecting carrots long gone. "Much taller than me. But I've never really wanted to be that tall. Hey, Sokka!" he shouted, thrusting his hand up in the air and waving madly. "Hey, Sokka, over here!"

Toph heaved a sigh and handed a few coins to the vegetable cart vendor.

"Ah, Sokka! Toph, Sokka's here!" Mamoru announced, tugging on her sleeve to draw her attention away from what felt like a squash. Didn't Katara want squash…?

"Hey, Toph." She felt a hand on her shoulder and recognized the vibrations as Sokka's. He tossed a thumb in the direction of where Mamoru was bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Who's the kid?"

* * *

­"That'll be five bronze coins, please." 

Sokka eyed the pile of jerky that the vendor was wrapping with eager eyes and stuck his hand inside his money bag. A frown appeared on his face as he pulled out three lone bronze pieces.

"Hey, Toph, you wanna give me two bronze coins?" he asked, fishing around in his pockets and finding nothing but a length of string and something that could have been either a leechy nut or a rock. He pulled on the string and noted that it was definitely attached to his pants—the unknown object went back in his pocket.

"Toph?"

Sokka looked up at her unusual silence to find that the only person standing next to him was a very old woman with her very long hair in a very long braid. He peered around the woman, but there was no Toph to be found. Sokka dropped his chin to his chest in defeat and turned to the vendor.

"I'll take whatever I can get for three bronze coins."

The vendor—a rather large man with a belly that Sokka was sure could bowl him over—gave him a rather blatant frown and began pulling large chunks of jerky from the package. Sokka could feel tears welling up in his eyes as his jerky pile shrank.

Once he had paid for his pitiful package of meat and bid the vendor a tearful goodbye (to which the vendor had merely grunted), Sokka began his search for Toph. It wasn't as if she needed his help shopping (she was getting quite good at distinguishing different carts and foods), nor did she need his guidance—if anything, he was more of a hindrance to her. In fact, she was better at shopping than Sokka was, to which he really didn't mind admitting. The only qualm he had was what Katara would do to him if he came back without Toph—she was more concerned about what would happen to Toph than Toph herself was.

Trying to ignore the glorious scent of meat that was drifting from his package, Sokka scanned the surrounding area for a dark bun and green Earthbending clothes. This proved pointless, however, as a majority of the people in Gaoling were dressed in green and had dark hair. Sokka sighed and began walking in hopes of bumping into Toph eventually.

But, he decided, if worst came to worst, he would head back without Toph and find her at the house. What's the worst that could happen?

_You let my precious daughter wander the streets alone? She would have been hurt, or even kidnapped! This is the last time I let her out of the house with _you_! In fact, this is the last time I let her out of the house at all!_

Lao Bei Fong's normally pleasant face turned an angry shade of red and Sokka winced at his mind's rendition of his return to the Bei Fong estate. He was already on poor terms with Toph's father for the countless things he and Toph had snuck out to do—Earth Rumble 10, for one—and he could only imagine what would happen to him if he didn't return with Toph.

Sokka picked up the pace as he sought out the tiny form of Toph—should it be this hard to find her? What if he couldn't? What if he had to go back without her? Would he be sent to sleep in the servant's quarters, or worse—would they refuse him food—?

"Hey, Sokka!"

His head snapped up at the sound of his name and he searched the crowd—it hadn't been Toph that had called, that was certain, but then who—?

"Hey, Sokka, over here!"

Sokka's eyes landed on a boy—brown hair, bright face tanned dark—who was waving at him madly. And next to him was Toph, paying for what looked like carrots.

"Ah, Sokka!" The boy turned to tug on Toph's sleeve. "Toph, Sokka's here!"

Sokka stood behind her and, placing a hand on her shoulder, gave her a quick greeting. The boy bounced on his heels as Sokka eyed him. The warrior threw a thumb in his direction and asked, "Who's the kid?"

Toph, after shrugging his hand from her shoulder, turned and pulled the package of jerky from under his arm. "This is Mamoru," she said, bringing the package up to her nose. She gave it a small sniff and warned, "There better be enough for everyone."

Sokka was just about to tell her that there _would be_ enough, if _someone_ would've stuck around with the money, but he was interrupted by the boy before he could open his mouth.

"You're Sokka!" he cried, and stuck his hand out in front of him—the other was clutching a stone tablet under his arm. Sokka shot a side-long glance at Toph, but she was busy asking the vegetable vendor about his squash.

Left with no other choice, Sokka grasped the boy's hand and offered him a half-hearted smile. He shook Sokka's hand enthusiastically and smiled brightly in return.

"And you're... Mamoru, right?" Sokka asked apprehensively, still having his hand pumped eagerly.

"Sure am!" Mamoru replied, finally releasing Sokka's hand. "You know," he said, placing a finger on his chin and staring up at Sokka through squinted eyes, "you look lots taller up close. Don't you think so, Toph?"

Toph, who was placing two squashes in her basket next to Sokka's jerky, said thinly, "Yep, he looks taller up close, alright."

Mamoru grinned at her cheerily for a moment, then gasped. "Ah, I'm so sorry, I did it again! How inconsiderate of me! Um—let me carry your basket to make it up to you!"

Sokka raised his eyebrows at the boy's actions. He would have gotten by with a simple apology, but now he was attempting to tug the basket from Toph's hands. Sokka smirked—Toph would never let him carry the basket for her, not when she could do it herself.

"Fine," she snapped, relinquishing the basket. "Just don't drop it or Katara'll have my hide."

Sokka felt his jaw drop. If _he_ ever tried anything like that—!

"So, where are we going now?" asked Mamoru, basket swinging dangerously from his hand as he stared at Toph with eyes that Sokka had only seen on Arctic seal puppies.

"You have anything left to pick up, Meathead?"

Sokka paused from apprehensively eyeing Mamoru (who was stuffing his autograph in the basket) long enough to reply, "I'm ready when you are."

Toph nodded. "Then off to my parents' we go." She set off down the street and Mamoru trailed after her like a baby turtle-duck. Sokka resisted the urge to snort.

"So, Toph, where did you learn how to Earthbend?" asked Mamoru, now using both hands to carry the basket. "Didn't Master Yu teach you? 'Cause that's what I heard at Earth Rumble, but then I saw that you don't use regular Earthbending moves. Did someone else teach you, or did you just make up all those new moves by yourself, 'cause that would be _amazing_!"

Sokka, jaw hanging in amazement at the boy's lungs, was sure Toph would be irritated by such a stream of never-ending questions.

But instead of chucking a rock at his head (concerned about the vegetables, perhaps?), Toph gave him a half-grin and said, "Master Yu was my sifu, but he never really taught me anything. You know the story of Oma and Shu?"

"Ah, yes!" cried Mamoru, nearly losing a mango, which Sokka caught. "That's my favorite story of all time!"

"That's the same way I learned."

At those words, Mamoru came to a dead stop and Sokka nearly tripped over him.

"Oy, watch where you're going!"

But instead of apologizing profusely like he had done for Toph, Mamoru's jaw instantly dropped and his eyes grew to take up what seemed like half of his face. Toph was grinning as she turned to face them.

"That—is—AMAZING!" Mamoru cried, basket abandoned as he launched himself at Toph. She looked surprised, but—Sokka noted with horror—hardly displeased as Mamoru spun her in a circle before finally releasing her so that he could jump up and down.

"It must have been _so_ incredible to learn like that!" the boy cried, looking as if he was indeed near tears of joy. Sokka wondered what learning "like that" entailed as he picked up the forgotten food and followed the two, who had seemingly forgotten him as well.

"And 'cause badgermoles don't need to see to Bend, I can use more of their moves, too," Toph informed Mamoru.

"Yes, that's right!" He gave a little bubbling laugh. "You're just like a badgermole, Toph!"

Sokka frowned as Toph laughed—if he had called her a badgermole (of all things!), he would've been eating dirt.

"—using vibrations through the Earth, so it's just like seeing."

"That's so smart! I didn't even know you could Bend like that!"

Sokka raised his eyebrows at Mamoru—he seemed genuinely awed by Toph and just about everything that came out of her mouth.

"That's how I learned to Bend metal," Toph continued as they neared the gates of the Bei Fong estate.

Mamoru looked as if he was about to collapse. "You can... Bend—metal?" he asked faintly.

Toph punched a hole in the metal gate as proof—Mamoru gasped loudly and Sokka tutted.

"Toph, you know your parents hate it when you do that."

She turned and shot him the first grin in what felt like ever and said coyly, "That's why I do it." She pressed both hands against the gate and returned it to its former glory.

"Besides," she said, dusting her hands, "I can fix it anyway."

"Toph?"

They both turned to Mamoru, who was staring at Toph as if she was Oma incarnate.

"Do you want to go get tea some time?" he asked breathlessly. "'Cause I would really love it if you could—"

"No."

Mamoru's eyebrows shot up. Toph clenched her fists and turned on Sokka.

"_What_ did you say?"

Sokka blinked nervously. The word had slipped out of his mouth without his consent, but he was going to stand by it—Toph was not going anywhere with this kid. He was a little too _friendly_ for Sokka's taste and Toph liked him just a bit too much for comfort.

He swallowed. "I said no." He slung an arm around her shoulders and continued boldly, "As Toph's big brother—"

"Moron!" She planted a hand in the center of his face and pushed—he stumbled away with a cry. "You're as much my brother as Katara is!"

"Well—" Sokka rubbed his pink nose. "I'm not gonna let you!"

"Why not?! Who are _you_ to stop me?"

"Because—'cause..." he stumbled over his words. "Uh—go out with me instead!"

"_What_?" she cried shrilly.

"Toph, will you go out with me?" He was spouting off whatever came to his mind first and he knew it.

Her eyes were narrowed into dangerous slits and her cheeks were turning progressively pinker.

"You're just saying that so I won't go out with Mamoru! You're such an idiot!" she shouted, stomping her foot. "Why would you say that?!"

"'Cause I don't want you going out with him and that's _final_!"

A heavy silence fell over them and Mamoru made a choking sound. Suddenly Toph turned to the boy and flashed him a smile.

"I'd love to go out with you, Mamoru."

He made the choking sound again and said meekly, "I just wanted to see some Bending moves…."

A beat of silence before a flat "What?" came from both Sokka and Toph.

"Yeah…. After hearing about all the stuff you can do, I just wanted to see it," explained Mamoru. "I thought—you know—you might be able to teach me something!"

Toph blinked. "Ah... sure, I guess."

"Oh, wow, that's great!" exclaimed Mamoru, seemingly over the shock of Toph and Sokka fighting. "Well, I'm gonna go home before my mom worries! Bye, Sokka! Bye, Miss Blind Bandit! I'll see you later!"

He gave them a breezy smile, plucked his autograph out of the basket, and waved. He got five feet away before he paused and turned back.

"Oh, yeah—mmm… I think you should say yes, Toph. You two would make a very cute couple!" Mamoru gave a contented laugh and walked off, whistling a faint tune as he did so.

There was a moment of silence. Then: "Wanna go throw rocks at something?"

"Yeah." Toph paused, then quickly added, "But it's not a date."

"Aww, why not?" Sokka grinned.

Toph punched his shoulder. "Shut up." But she was smiling.

**FIN.**


	2. Tea I

**Author's Notes: **Surprise! I bet you all thought _Big Brother_ was over, didn't you? Well, it's not! After prodding at some other ideas for a while (aka on the 13 hour drive to Alabama for my cousin's wedding), I decided on writing five other stories including Mamoru. They can be read separately, but they do support each other quite a bit. I have a lot of love for Mamoru, so these are always fun. Hopefully it won't take me too long to crank them out! (Such weird phrasing...)

Ahh, just a quick warning. This isn't betaed, and I'm not much of an editor myself, so... if it isn't that great... sorry. (I did my best!) Toph being the way she is in this story is kind of unsettling for me, but I'd love to know what _you_ think! (That was a prod for reviews, just so you know.)

**What You Need to Know: **This isn't the tea that Mamoru asks Toph out to in _Big Brother_. They've become--for lack of better word--friends now, and Mamoru likes to take her out often. (Cute, isn't he?) This is one of their regular outings sometime in the future. He's like... a girl friend for Toph, except that he's a boy. He makes her talk about girly things.

Alisa

* * *

**Big Brother**

the series

* * *

**Tea I**

"Toph, can I ask you a… personal question?"

Toph sipped at her cup of hot tea as she regarded the question that had been posed to her. After of a few moments of silence (in which she enjoyed the quiet rather than contemplating her answer), she put her cup down and said, "I guess."

"Ah!" her companion gasped, as if startled by her reply. "Okay! Toph, do you—" He paused to giggle. "Toph, do you have a boyfriend?"

"Nope." She ran a finger along the rim of her cup unconsciously. "Why d'you ask, Mamoru?"

A secretive smile graced Mamoru's lips as he observed the girl in front of him. "No reason! I'm just a curious person."

"Yep," was all Toph could think of in reply, and she quickly followed it by a gulp of tea that nearly burned her throat on the way down.

"Toph?" asked Mamoru, leaning against the table separating them on his forearms. "Can I ask you another question?"

"You don't need to ask me if you can ask a question, you know," Toph informed him, amusement leaking into her voice.

"M'kay," he said cheerfully. "Toph, do you want a boyfriend?"

She raised a delicate eyebrow at him and answered thinly, "Not really."

"Aww, why not?" whined Mamoru, nearly upsetting his tea as he leaned back in his seat to pout.

Toph shrugged. "Why? It's not like I _need _one to live. Besides, my parents have been trying to get me engaged since day one and I don't wanna do anything to encourage them."

"But Toph, don't you think you'd _like_ a boyfriend?" asked Mamoru, leaning forward suddenly and nearly tipping his chair. "Holding hands and taking walks together and little kisses on your cheek—don't you _want_ something like that?"

Toph frowned at his accuracy and how much he was making her think. She gave a small shrug in reply and said, "I guess. Maybe someday." Then her eyes narrowed and she said suspiciously, "Why? You thinkin' of asking me something?"

Mamoru gave a tinkling little laugh. "No, silly! I was just thinking, you're too pretty a girl to be alone! You deserve a nice boy to be with."

"Maybe."

"Definitely!" Mamoru insisted. "A nice boy who will watch out for you and who cares about you and who will always love you! Someone like—like… someone like Sokka!"

There was a beat of silence in which Mamoru anxiously awaited Toph's reply, his knuckles nearly going white against the tabletop. Then she opened her mouth and laughed.

"You know," she said, giggling, "for a second there I almost thought you were serious!"

Mamoru looked slightly offended at this. "But—but I _was_ being serious! I _am_ being serious!"

Toph abruptly quit her tight laughter and fixed her sightless eyes on the boy across from her. "You think… you think I should go out with _Sokka_?" she asked incredulously.

"But Toph, I thought—I thought you… I thought you liked him, Toph!" Mamoru proclaimed. "I thought you liked Sokka!"

"You think I like Sokka," she said faintly—not a question, but a statement. Then sharply: "Why would you think that?"

Mamoru gave a helpless shrug. "You act funny around Sokka. I don't know how, but you do. You act kinda—kinda guarded. Like you're scared."

"I'm not scared of anything!" Toph announced boldly. "I learned how to Earthbend from giant badgermoles, for spirits' sake! Why would one little skinny-armed Water Tribe meathead scare _me_?"

"Maybe…" Mamoru watched her pout and fold her arms across her chest defensively. "Maybe…. Toph, are you—are you afraid he'll break your heart?"

She breathed in sharply, then leaned forward. "Mamoru, bad things happen to girls who date him. Yue, she's the moon spirit now, and Suki nearly _died_. He's been with so many girls I can't even count. But me—I'm his _best friend_." She paused. "He's _my_ best friend." Toph leaned back in her seat and sighed. "Mamoru, I'm not afraid of him breaking my heart. I'm af-afraid that it won't work out and he'll hate me. That would hurt more… more than anything."

He didn't say anything for a long time; he didn't know _what_ to say. Then Mamoru reached across the table and touched her hand.

"Toph," he said, slowly and thoughtfully, "Sokka wouldn't want to hurt you. He cares about you—he loves you."

She scoffed loudly and Mamoru squeezed her hand.

"He may not be in love with you, but he does love you," Mamoru said. "I can tell. I don't think… Toph, I don't think he would ever hurt you!"

"Just because he doesn't want to doesn't mean he can't," Toph spat back.

"Toph, I promise that he won't hurt you, I promise!" he said passionately. "I'll—I'll beat him up if I have to! He won't hurt you while I'm around!"

Toph gave a dry laugh and Mamoru gripped her hand.

"Toph, promise me you won't be afraid, okay?" said Mamoru. "Promise me you won't be afraid he'll break your heart or your friendship or you anything, okay?"

She squeezed his hand back. "I promise."

"Good."

They sat in companionable silence for a minute, each lost in their own thoughts. Then Mamoru grinned and leaned toward her.

"You like him, don't you?" he murmured teasingly. "You want Sokka to be your boyfriend, don't you?"

Toph reached out and slugged him. "Shut up."

The front door slid open with a clatter and Sokka nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Toph?" he called. "Is that you? 'Cause if it's not, I'm gonna have to beat up whoever came in my house without knocking! Hello—?"

He grinned at the sight of the tiny Earthbender as she entered the kitchen. "You could've at least said hi, you know," Sokka informed her. "I was about ready to beat—Toph, what're you doing…?"

Toph pushed her face farther into his shoulder and held him close. "Promise me you'll never break my heart or my friendship or my anything."

"Your anyth—Toph, what're you talking about?"

His arms were around her shoulders and she breathed him in. "Just… promise that you'll never hurt me, okay?"

"Why?" His arms tightened around her. "Did that kid do something to you? Do I need to beat him up?"

"No. Just promise me."

Sokka stared down at the head of dark rumpled hair and allowed himself a small smile. "I promise I won't hurt you," he muttered. "I promise."

"Good." She pulled back abruptly and announced, "I'm going to bed."

"Wha—? But it's the middle of the afternoon!" Sokka cried.

"And I wanna take a nap. You got a problem with that, _Snoozles_?" she cracked, smirking at him.

Sokka scowled and admitted grudgingly, "No."

Toph grinned. "That's what I thought."

She walked away, attitude even in the way she moved, and Sokka couldn't help but wonder, _How could _I_ ever hurt _her?

* * *

**A/N: **Well, I hope you enjoyed. Now, before you click the pretty X in the corner, I have a challenge for you. Yes, that's right, a **challenge**. If you read this story, you must have some kind of appreciation for Tokka, so here's what you can do for the ship: write a story. Doesn't have to be long or good, just write something and promote the Tokka love! 

...Please? (I'm dying of AWS, here! And Tokka Withdrawl!) Do it for Toph!

And, if you want, you can challenge me! I want to write an AU, for some reason, and I need an idea! Give me suggestions and I'll see what I can do!


	3. Tunic

**Author's Notes: **Time for the next installment of_ Big Brother_! In this episode, Sokka eats a sandwich and manages to act spiteful at the same time! Toph is... her usual self! Mamoru plays counsellor! And of course, fluff abounds!

And a heartfelt thanks to Invaderk for beta'ing!

Drop a **review** on the way out, please!

Alisa (dying from over-use of exclamation points)

* * *

**Big Brother**

the series

**

* * *

**

**Tunic**

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Sokka, answer the door!"

"You answer the door!"

"I'm getting dressed!"

"_I'm_ making a sandwich!"

"It's your house, numbskull, now answer the door!"

With a rather large meat sandwich in his hand and mumbling something about bossy women under his breath, Sokka shuffled out of the meager kitchen of his small Earth Kingdom home and into the entrance hall. Hoping it wasn't his young female neighbor asking for "help" again, he threw open the door and found himself nearly eye-to-eye with a pair of stunning brown orbs.

Holding back a sigh, Sokka stepped out of the way and allowed a young Earth Kingdom man to enter. With cheery brown eyes, dark wavy hair, tanned skin, and a bright smile, the seventeen-year-old was undoubtedly handsome and looking better by the day. Compared to the young man's sweet naiveté, Sokka felt far older than his twenty years.

Sokka bit into his sandwich and said thickly, "Hi, Mamoru."

The young man smiled upon recognition. "Hello, Sokka! I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here. Well, I went to the Bei Fong's in Gaoling but they said Toph had left so I came to your house instead 'cause Toph told me where you live and I just wanted to know: do you know where Toph is?"

By now they had reached the kitchen and Sokka had settled down at the tiny stone table. He swallowed another bite of sandwich and pointed a thumb behind him where Toph was launching herself out of the hallway.

Mamoru caught her and spun her around several times as Toph laughed, her hair streaming out behind her. When he finally set her down, her arms stayed around his neck and his hands didn't leave her waist. Sokka bit into his sandwich rather spitefully.

"What're you doing here, Mamoru?" Toph asked, sounding anything but displeased.

"I came to visit you!" Mamoru replied. "Ah, actually, I came to ask Sokka where you were staying, but I found you here! I'm so lucky!"

"Yeah. I'm glad to see you, Mamoru," she said, standing on tip-toe to hug him once again.

"I'm happy to see you, too, Toph!" he said brightly, returning the hug.

Sokka noted rather dryly that their hug was resemblant of a hug shared between the Avatar and his sister—one that was more than just friendly. He was just considering throwing a chunk of meat at them to break it up when they pulled apart.

"So, d'you want some tea?" asked Toph, wandering over to the cupboard to fetch some cups. She pulled two out and turned to the boy. "Mamoru?"

"Mmm, Toph?" said Mamoru slowly. "What are you wearing?"

Her hands went to the long blue tunic draped on her body. "What about it? Does it look bad or something? I told Sokka that if he ever let me out of the house looking like an idiot—"

Mamoru bit his lip and Sokka answered blandly, "I think he's referring to the fact that you're not wearing any pants."

Toph brushed her legs together and shrugged. "Guess I'm not. I knew I was forgetting something."

"But—doesn't that bother you?!" cried Mamoru.

Toph pulled out a teapot, her thighs peeking out from under the tunic. "Not really. It's not like I'm not wearing underwear or something." She pulled up the tunic to reveal tight, mid-thigh shorts as proof.

Mamoru squeaked and turned away, his cheeks tingeing pink.

Sokka chuckled at the boy's reaction. "I think you embarrassed him, Toph."

Her eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Why?"

"Because you're in your—!"

"Hey, is that _my_ tunic?" Sokka cut in, observing the shirt with narrowed eyes.

"That would explain why it's so big," Toph said, and lifted the edge of the tunic to her nose and sniffed. "Yep, it's yours. Even smells like you, too."

"Ohh, it smells like Sokka?" questioned Mamoru, now over his embarrassment. He brought his face down to Toph's shoulder and Sokka couldn't help but frown at how close the boy's face was to a certain _area_ that Sokka didn't want him having anything to do with.

"Ah, you're right!" exclaimed the Earthbender.

Toph slapped his face away (Sokka couldn't help but grin) and pulled a bag of tea from another cupboard. Mamoru, who seemed slightly offended at being scolded, sat by Sokka at the table and rested his chin in his hands as Toph drew water for the tea.

Jamming another bite of sandwich in his mouth, Sokka managed to ask, "How'd you end up with my tunic, anyway?"

"Light the fire," Toph commanded. She tossed two spark rocks at Sokka, who easily caught them. "I must've mixed up some of our clothes."

"You did the laundry?" asked Mamoru. "That's so impressive!"

"Didn't do a very good job, though," Sokka muttered. He struck the rocks together, his tongue poking out of his mouth in his concentration, but to no avail.

"Hey!" said Toph sharply—water sloshed on the table as she set down the teapot. "You're the one making a blind girl do the laundry!"

"It was your week to!" retaliated Sokka, now giving up the spark rocks.

"Just because _you_—"

"Can I ask a question?"

They both turned to Mamoru, who was lighting a small fire under the teapot with the spark rocks. He set the rocks down, blew on the fire to get it burning, and turned to the pair.

"Toph, would you please sit down?" he asked, gesturing next to Sokka. She sat with a frown on her face and Mamoru announced, "I'm going to make tea!"

Sokka sighed as the Bender began bustling around the kitchen. Reaching for his sandwich, Sokka was surprised to find that it was gone—or rather, that Toph had picked it up. He sighed again and a teacup dropped in front of him, and another in front of Toph. Mamoru settled across from them and poured the tea while Toph finished up Sokka's lunch.

"Now, on to my question," Mamoru said, taking a sip of his drink. "Toph, why are you staying here with Sokka?"

Toph shrugged and slouched across the table—Sokka frowned and nudged her. He didn't want Mamoru thinking it was _attractive _or anything, the way her dark hair spilled across _his_ tunic.

She ignored Sokka and said simply, "I needed a place to stay, and he had room."

"You could have asked me!" Mamoru proclaimed. "We have plenty of room at home!"

Toph shrugged the idea off. "I'm not staying in Gaoling. Too close to my parents."

"What's wrong with living by your parents?" he asked, looking confused.

Sokka chuckled and answered, "It's because Toph does so many things her parents wouldn't approve of."

"You do?" exclaimed Mamoru, shocked.

"Yep. You know, Earthbending, Earth Rumble, traveling with the Avatar—they don't like that stuff," Toph explained.

"Not to mention drinking," added Sokka with a smirk.

"Drinking?" repeated Mamoru faintly.

"Yep. She was completely smashed," Sokka reminisced. "It was kinda funny."

"Shut up." A tiny curled fist met Sokka's chest. "It only happened once."

"And you were jabbering away for hours," he continued, grinning at her. "Then I seem to recall you passing out on my bed."

"And _I_ seem to recall _you_ passing out right next to me," Toph shot back. Then she grinned. "But it _was_ kinda funny." She chuckled for a moment, then her head popped up. "Hey, you ever gone to a bar, Mamoru?"

He gave her an apprehensive stare. "No..."

"Me an' Sokka, we'll take you tonight! It'll be fun, just the three of us. Right, Snoozles?" Toph said, giving him a punch to the arm.

"Right," agreed Sokka. "Just make sure you enjoy the silence while she can still think straight."

"Well... okay, I'll go," said Mamoru reluctantly. "But can we go out for a cup of tea now, Toph?"

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "What about the tea—"

"Sure," said Toph, pushing herself up. "Let's go."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Clothes and hair, Toph."

She stopped half-way to the door. "Right. Pants. I'll be right back."

"And bring a brush!" Sokka called after her.

"Yes, mother!" Toph shouted back. There was the sound of shuffling, something falling (Mamoru jumped at the sound but Sokka waved him down), and then Toph reappeared.

She was still wearing the blue tunic, but had tied it off with a belt. Long green leggings covered her legs and she was attempting to pull a brush through her tangle of hair. Sokka tutted and stood up.

"If you're gonna wear my clothes, at least wear them right," he said. Walking over to her, he fiddled with the belt and it fell from her waist. "Don't move."

"What's he going to get?" asked Mamoru curiously. His eyes followed Sokka as he crossed the room and until he disappeared.

"Who knows," said Toph, who had abandoned the brush and was now braiding her hair. "It's Sokka. Don't try to understand."

The Water Tribe warrior reappeared a minute later, a long blue sash trailing behind him.

"At the South Pole, we wear our belts a certain way," Sokka said, measuring the belt out. "Katara showed me how to tie a girl's belt once, but spirits' know I don't remember. I guess you're just getting a guy's. Arms up!"

Giving a small sigh, Toph raised her arms and felt her eyes widen as Sokka pressed himself against her to loop the sash around her waist. He drew back and attempted to tie it, but frowned when he realized he didn't know how to tie it from the front. He pulled the sash from her waist and tapped his chin with a finger.

"Lemme see," he muttered. "Maybe from the back..."

He circled her and tried not to get too close as he looped the belt around her waist twice (it was far too long) and carefully tied it in the front. He would have left his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear how pretty she looked if Mamoru hadn't been watching them with those eager eyes. Instead, Sokka ran his hands along the belt to straighten it and turned her by the shoulders to face him.

"There," Sokka said, horrified when his voice cracked. "Now you look like an official Water Tribe warrior."

Toph merely nodded her head in his direction and strode stiffly to the door. Mamoru immediately jumped into action.

"Ah, Toph, you look so pretty all dressed up like this!" he cried. "Wouldn't you say so, Sokka?"

Sokka blinked at Mamoru, who gestured at Toph and mouthed something Sokka didn't understand.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah... you look nice, Toph. You look—" He struggled for a word and settled on an easy one. "—cute."

She nodded her head curtly at him and he watched as she widened her stance slightly and focused her body on him. With a jolt Sokka realized that she was trying to see if he was lying or not.

Sokka nearly jumped in his hurry to move. "C'mon, you two, you don't want to be late!" he cried. A hand in the middle of each of their backs, he quickly ushered a bewildered Mamoru and a surly Toph to the door. "Don't stay out too late and don't get into any trouble! Have a good time!"

"Thank you, Sokka!" said Mamoru. "We'll be sure to have a good time just for you!" He gave Sokka a warm smile and opened the sliding door.

Toph walked out the door without a word and Mamoru gave Sokka an apologetic look before patting his shoulder comfortingly.

"Hey, Mamoru," said Sokka slowly, his eyes following her dark head as Toph strode away, "just... tell Toph I'll make dinner tonight, okay? Dumplings, if she wants."

Mamoru raised his eyebrows for a fraction of a second, as if questioning Sokka's motives, then smiled. "You can make dumplings?"

Sokka returned his gaze to Mamoru, gave a half-grin, and replied, "Sort of."

"Mamoru!"

The Earthbender jumped. "Ah! Gotta go, Sokka, the lady calls! But—I'll be sure to tell her, okay?"

Sokka ruffled the boy's hair. "Thanks, kid."

Mamoru grinned and dashed off to meet Toph, where he started talking enthusiastically. Sokka shook his head and slid the door shut.

He hadn't _lied_ when he said Toph was cute, he just hadn't stated all of the truth. When he had seen her in the blue tunic (_his_ tunic), he couldn't help but think that she looked almost—almost beautiful, with her hair down and pale legs peeking out like that. He didn't want to say that to her, though; it seemed so much more intimate than he wanted it to be.

So instead he gave her the half-truth, and now he was afraid that she knew that. Hoping that a peace offering would work, Sokka decided that he would make dumplings, her favorite. If they really were taking Mamoru out, then he needed her in a good and friendly mood or she was sure to pick a fight with him.

Besides, he wanted his tunic back and she might "accidentally" lose it, or perhaps wear it just to spite him. It was his favorite, after all (and it would smell just like her, that scent he still couldn't figure out).

An image danced in Sokka's mind and he shook his head.

_Spirits_, she looked good in his tunic. Maybe he would have her do the laundry more often.

"Mamoru!" Toph shouted, getting more than fed up with waiting for him while he chatted with Sokka. Whatever it was could wait.

He came dashing up to her, a bounce in his steps, and began chittering immediately. "Sokka said he's making dumplings for dinner tonight! I love dumplings, don't you, Toph? Those are your favorite, right? It's so thoughtful of Sokka to make them for you! You should thank—"

"_Mamoru_."

He cringed at the harsh tone of her voice. "Yes?"

Toph grabbed his arm and began pulling him along. She was practically stomping and Mamoru had never seen her face quite as pink.

"Did you _see_," she said, sounding furious and desperate at the same time, "the way he was touching me? Like, like—like he was… _teasing_ me or something!" Her hands curled into fists and Mamoru pulled his arm free from her grasp. "What is his _problem_?"

The boy quickened his pace to keep up with Toph. "He just wanted you to look nice!"

"Cute! Of all the things he could have said, he picked _cute_! He wasn't lying, you know," she spat, "but he _wasn't_ telling the truth."

"Maybe," said Mamoru cautiously, "maybe he thinks you're more than cute."

"Then why wouldn't he just say that?" raged Toph.

"Maybe he doesn't know how to say it," the boy suggested.

"Toph, you look pretty! Toph, my tunic looks good on you!" she mimicked. "See, it's not that hard!"

"Toph," said Mamoru gently, touching her arm, "sometimes it is hard. Especially with a girl you like." He paused, and she turned her face to him questioningly. He giggled lightly. "But not for me! 'Cause you are _so_ cute, Toph! I promise!"

Her face grudgingly slipped out of its frown. "I guess," she mumbled.

Mamoru grinned and laced his arm with hers. Then he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Why'd you put on his tunic, Toph?"

"I already told you, I didn't know it was his," she said loudly.

Mamoru chuckled quietly. "You knew it was his, didn't you, Toph?" he murmured smoothly. "You knew it was his and you put it on anyway."

Toph gave the arm weaved through hers a punch. "Shut up."

Mamoru smiled in triumph. Her voice had told him everything.


	4. Drinks

**Author's Notes: **Hello, all! Sorry this took so long... but I'm glad I took my time, because when I finally sat down to write this, it flowed out so easily! I wasn't sure how to attack this chapter (yes, I attack my stories), but when I sat down and started writing, it was like I had the idea in my head the entire time. This chapter, and hopefully the last two chapters, will all be in Mamoru's third person POV. I like writing from his POV...

I want to add a oneshot to _Just Him and Her_ before the next chapter of this, so keep your eyes open! And please **review**!

Alisa

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**Big Brother**

the series

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Drinks

Mamoru drummed his fingers on the tiny tabletop yet again. He had to admit, he was awfully bored, sitting there all by himself. In an attempt to appease his lethargy, he picked up the drink Sokka had insisted on ordering him and sniffed it. It smelled sweet and strong, and left his head spinning. Casting a furtive glance around, as if other people might be judging him for having a drink, he lifted the glass to his lips and took a tentative sip.

Mamoru sputtered and swallowed, his eyes watering and throat burning. Perhaps, he thought vaguely, fanning his mouth with a hand, it hadn't been the best idea to take such a big drink….

Desperate for a glass of water, Mamoru pushed his chair back and ventured up to the counter. The bartender, a man with a very large belly Mamoru was sure could bowl him over, was wiping down a glass. He stared down at Mamoru with apathetic eyes and the young man gave him an apprehensive smile.

"Could I possibly have a glass of water, please?" Mamoru asked in a tiny voice—he'd never ordered a drink before, even if it was only water.

The man surveyed him for a long moment before turning around, fumbling noisily with an assortment of glasses, and then depositing a cup full of water on the counter dividing them. "A bronze piece," he said simply, and Mamoru dug around in a pocket for a moment before producing the correct amount of money. He placed it between him and the man and hurried to take his water.

"Thank you!" he squeaked in recognition. Pausing only to take a hasty sip, he shuffled back over to his table and sat down.

Draining his glass in three quick gulps, Mamoru couldn't help but think that it was a tiny bit rude of Sokka and Toph to just leave him all by himself while they went off and had fun. They had disappeared fifteen minutes ago on the pretense of getting more drinks (Mamoru couldn't help but think that wasn't a very good idea) and he hadn't seen them since.

But, to their credit, he thought, eyes scanning the crowded tables for his friends, the evening had started off wonderfully. When he and Toph had returned from their tea, they opened the front door to a glorious smell and Sokka attacking them in a hug, proclaiming, "I made dumplings, and this time they're _good_!"

They sat down to eat, Sokka still elated, and Mamoru couldn't help but exclaim that they were tasty dumplings—even Toph grudgingly agreed. They spent a while just talking—Toph pulled out a secret stash of chocolate to reluctantly share—and enjoying themselves before Toph announced it was time to go.

The walk from Sokka's home to the bar took only ten minutes, and despite the fact that Mamoru was doing his best to stay calm, he couldn't help but get a little nervous (a bar? _Him_?). Sokka had only laughed and said a good drink would keep him nice and relaxed. The bar came into view, the dazzling light from the dusk sun illuminating the earthen sign in front of the bar: The Onyx.

Entering the bar, Sokka made a bee-line to the counter to order ("Nothing too strong for me!" Mamoru had pleaded) while Mamoru followed Toph to find a table. The one she chose was situated next to a wide window and was very near the counter ("so we don't have to walk all over the place," she explained), and there was golden light spilling over the tabletop and rickety-looking chairs. She plopped down in the chair across from Mamoru, but when it gave an ominous creak she pushed it out of the way and drew up an Earth one. No one seemed to notice.

Sokka found them a few minutes later, three tankards balanced precariously in his hands. Setting them down, he began up a conversation (Mamoru tried to remember, but the topic of the conversation just wouldn't come to him) that lasted them through both Toph's and Sokka's first drink. While Sokka went to refresh their glasses (Mamoru had only taken a small sip to placate Sokka and Toph, who had insisted he take a drink), Mamoru couldn't help but notice how loose-tongued only one drink had made Toph. She was chatting animatedly about how she had learned to Metalbend and hadn't even seemed to notice that Sokka had left.

Another hour of trivial talk (Mamoru dared another tiny sip of his drink), plus a second drink for both Sokka and Toph, and they were both attempting to tell him the same story at the same time, though from what he could understand, their stories were radically different. Toph kept bursting out in random giggles (Mamoru was starting to worry for her) and Sokka kept shooting Toph furtive glances whenever he could. Mamoru was beginning to think that coming hadn't been the brightest idea and that they really ought to leave when suddenly Sokka stood, pointed a finger at no one in particular, and warbled, "Last one, then I'm goin' home."

He started off to the counter and Toph stumbled after him, giggling and calling, "Wait for me! I could use a good" —she hiccupped loudly— "nightcap!"

That, now twenty minutes ago, had been the last time Mamoru had seen either Sokka or Toph. He hoped, for their sakes as well as his, that they were still in the bar—he didn't fancy walking the streets for a pair of drunken sweethearts in the middle of the night.

He considered getting up and looking for them (where could they possibly be hiding?) when Toph stumbled into view, Sokka close behind her with a guiding hand on her shoulder (though from the speed she just ran into that chair, Mamoru thought, not a very good one).

"Now you definitely owe me!" said Sokka, unceremoniously shoving Toph down in her seat (she was giggling) and taking his own. "Not only did I buy you—" he paused, looking as if he was calculating in his mind, "—three drinks, but you lost half my money on a dumb card game!"

"Hey," interjected Toph, pointing somewhere to the left of Sokka, "it's not my fault you don't know not to put a five up against a queen."

Sokka sputtered for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words, and Mamoru cut in while he could: "What card game were you playing?"

Sokka frowned and Toph giggled, leaning over the table.

"I dunno," Sokka finally said. "But I was pretty good at it, I think."

"Hey, Mamoru!" burst Toph, jumping up suddenly. "Did I ever tell ya the story 'bout how Sokka nearly killed me?"

"Ah—no, you haven't," Mamoru said slowly. He couldn't help but wonder why she said it with such relish and enthusiasm.

She leaned over the table and Mamoru spotted Sokka following her movements with his eyes, not even having noticed what her story was allegedly about.

"Well, lemme tell ya," Toph said, a lopsided grin unfurling on her face, "it's a good one. It's back when I was" —she squinted her eyes as if to help her concentrate— "twelve. Yeah, twelve, and we were traveling with Aang and Katara, the Avatar and his girl, you know."

"Yes, I know," Mamoru agreed, and Toph leaned in closer. So did Sokka, it seemed, and Mamoru scooted his chair back surreptitiously.

"We were trying to get to Ba Sing Se, you see, and Meathead over here" (Sokka's head popped up at the sound of his name) "decided we should go on the Serpent's Pass. You know where that is?"

"Ah, yes!" Mamoru said. "You told me all about it."

"Mmhmm, anyway—they don't call it the Serpent's Pass for nothin'. Giant thing that wants to eat ya," described Toph, widening her arms to show, Mamoru supposed, the size of the serpent.

"Just like the unagi," added Sokka unhelpfully.

Mamoru was just about to ask what the unagi was when Toph continued, "Sugar Queen made this ice bridge." She made a sound halfway between disgust and amusement. "Good fer nothin', ice. The giant snake squished the bridge—" she made a chopping action with her arm, "and I fell in!"

"But how did you get on the bridge?" Mamoru was just about to ask, but Sokka spoke before he could.

"It was scary." His eyes were wide, as if to demonstrate fear.

"Yer sure right," Toph began, gave a half-hiccup, then finished, "it was." Then, suddenly: "You gonna finish that?" She pointed at Mamoru's still-full tankard, and then picked it up without an answer.

"Ahh—! I'm not sure you should be drinking that, Toph!" said Mamoru, leaning forward anxiously, but she was already setting the mug down and smacking her lips.

"Lemme tell ya," Toph said again, picking up the thread of her story easily, "drowning isn't fun." (Sokka wagged his head from side to side as if he knew exactly what Toph was talking about.) "It's cold and… and… lonely. It's like your lungs are gonna… shrivel up an' all you can feel is your heart beating slower and slower…"

There was an appreciative silence, Sokka staring wide-eyed at Toph with his jaw hanging down, Mamoru shivering despite the warm, stale air and rowdy chatter of men. Toph had settled her blank eyes on the tabletop and was looking solemn. Then she hiccupped.

The apprehensive quiet was broken and Mamoru blinked his eyes to rid the image of a tiny Toph floating helplessly amongst chunks of ice in pitching, black seas. He spotted Sokka, who continued to stare at Toph, his eyes widening until it looked almost painful. She cleared her throat, so as to capture their attention once more.

"Then Snoozles thought it was 'bout time to save me. But cha know him, he's gotta take his boots off first, 'cause Spirits' forbid Sokka's boots get wet!"

Sokka tore his eyes away from her for the first time since they had returned and folded his arms tightly across his chest, glowering slightly, but neither Toph nor Mamoru paid him any attention.

Instead Mamoru's knuckles were white on the edge of the table and his face was alight with horror as he whispered, "But then, how did you survive?"

Toph gave a short, harsh laugh. "It was his stupid _girlfriend_ who saved me!"

"Suki was _not_ stupid!"

Mamoru's eyes quickly fell on Sokka, who was red in the face and looked angry. He was glaring at Toph.

"She _wasn't_ stupid and I was _going_ to rescue you."

"But of course, you had time to rescue your boots first," Toph sneered. "Boots before Toph, I know how it is."

Mamoru turned, horror-struck, to Sokka, whose flush deepened as he insisted, "I was going to save you, I was! Suki was just faster, she got there sooner, I was trying to save you, I really was!"

"Then why'd you stop?" Toph demanded, both hands coming down on the table as she stood. "Why'd you stop for your stupid shoes?"

"I don't know, Toph, I don't know!" cried Sokka shrilly; he sounded near tears, Mamoru thought wildly. "I wanted to protect you, Toph, I _want_ to protect you!"

She cut across him sharply: "I don't need any protection."

"But I _want _to! I don't want anything to happen to you, I—"

"And then I was rescued, the end," said Toph abruptly.

Mamoru blinked, then looked from Toph, who was giving an exaggerated yawn, to Sokka, who had his arms crossed again and a scowl on his face. "I think," Mamoru said in a quiet voice, "that it is time to go."

"I second that," said Toph, who gave another _hic_. She tried to Bend her Earth chair back into the ground, but only part of it sank, giving the impression of a two-legged chair. With a small sigh Mamoru stood and completed the task for her.

"Coming, Sokka?" Mamoru asked, turning back to the Water Tribe warrior when he didn't follow.

Sokka gave an indifferent shrug, making him look like a surly, pouting, over-grown child who had been scolded for something. He folded his arms more tightly and turned toward the window, out of which Mamoru could see velvety sky and twinkling stars.

"Aww, c'mon, Snoozles!" cried Toph, thumping him hard on the back, all traces of anger gone. "I need a bodyguard for the walk back home and you—_hic_—seem like the perfect guy!"

"I thought you were mad at me," muttered Sokka, still pouting.

Toph thumped him on the back again. "Mad at you, Snoozles? You don't make me mad." She paused to giggle—Mamoru looked slightly alarmed. "You make me lots of things," she said, a strange smile on her face, "but not mad."

"Well… okay," acquiesced Sokka, looking marginally more cheerful as Toph attempted to haul him up by his armpits. "Let's go home."

Seemingly forgotten yet again, Mamoru trailed behind the couple on the walk home. Sokka had thrown a lazy arm around Toph's shoulders and had manually pulled hers around his waist, and now they were both joined in a loud, bawdy song about a man named Long Feng that they seemed to be making up on the spot. Shaking his head fondly at the pair, Mamoru thought about the things that had gone on in the bar that night.

With the amount of alcohol the two had consumed, tongues had been loose and words had been flying. One minute Sokka and Toph had been near flirting (Mamoru couldn't help but smile at the thought), and the next she had him nearly reduced to tears. But amidst all the irregular giggling and hiccups and wide-eyed stares, Mamoru had noticed a reoccurring theme in the conversation: Sokka sure liked to protect Toph.

And as Mamoru prised Sokka off of Toph ("But I wanna stay with _Tooooph_!") and tucked them both into their separate beds (was this what it was like to be a parent? he wondered), a plan couldn't help but form in his mind. And as he made up a bed for himself in the living room, Mamoru couldn't help but grin and wonder, just how much would Sokka be willing to give away come morning? Because no matter what, Mamoru was determined to find out just what those wide-eyed stares had been for.

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**AN: **Thanks for reading! Did anyone pick up on a returning character from _Big Brother_? That's right, it's the jerky vendor man! He has a night job at The Onyx. 


	5. Tea II

**Author's Notes:** Here we are, folks, the fifth installment of _Big Brother_! Only one left to go, and then a new project for me to start. I'm planning just a little short series called _Five _for sometime soon. (But not too soon...)

You know, I never feel I have a real grasp on Sokka's personality; when I write him, it's not the show's Sokka, but an Alisa-created Sokka. Toph, on the other hand, can be difficult to write, but really shines through when she's written correctly. Does anybody else have this sort of problem?

Anyway, please** review**!

Alisa

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Big Brother

the series

* * *

**Tea II**

Mamoru wiped delicately at the corner of his mouth with the edge of his tunic. He couldn't suppress the pang of disgust at this practice, but he had been forced into it when he realized that there wasn't a single napkin in the entire house. Brushing a few crumbs from his pants, Mamoru stood and gathered the few dishes he had eaten his breakfast from. He strolled purposefully to the sink and pumped cold water over the dishes, which he quickly washed and dried—he paused to eye the teetering pile of dirty plates and bowls that seemed to be the build-up of several days' meals and had to restrain himself.

Shaking his head, Mamoru instead turned to a pot over a small fire. He stirred the contents for a moment, observing with a critical eye, and then added a small amount of hot water to it from a teapot. A few more stirs and it was deemed worthy. He gave the stack of used dishes one more apprehensive glance before padding out of the kitchen and into a hallway.

The hallway Mamoru had entered was short and had four rooms that branched off of it: a bathroom, a large closet, Sokka's bedroom, and the bedroom Toph was staying in. Mamoru paused outside of the first room before sliding back the door carefully.

"Toph?" he whispered into the silence. "Toph, I made breakfast, if you want some."

From the corner of the room emanated a low grunt, and what Mamoru assumed was Toph twitched around a bit. He cleared his throat anxiously. "Just come out when you're hungry, I'll leave the food on the table, okay?"

Something that sounded suspiciously like a snore came from Toph's corner. Mamoru slid the door shut quietly behind him and reached for the door across from it. He threw it open with a bang and stepped inside Sokka's room.

"Time to get up, Sokka!" Mamoru sang, throwing open the curtains (which looked more like sheets, he thought) that covered his single window. "The early bird gets the worm, as my Nana always used to say!"

There was a throaty moan from the strange heap of mismatched blankets on top of the straw mattress in the middle of the room, and Mamoru thought he could see what looked like a foot sticking out from under a faded jade blanket with an embroidered flying boar in the corner. He tapped his own foot somewhat impatiently as Sokka disappeared further within the mess of cloth.

"C'mon, Sokka, get up! I made breakfast and everything!" declared Mamoru. "We're going out for tea today, you and me—we have some things to discuss! So let's go, mister!"

The pile twitched half-heartedly for a moment, then fell still. Mamoru blew a lock of wavy hair out of his face and cried, "I'm going to pull those blankets right off of you if you're not going to get up!"

A head appeared slowly from within the tangle—Sokka's eyes looked bloodshot and his long dark hair was everywhere now that it wasn't in its usual ponytail, and even his skin seemed paler this morning. He was giving Mamoru the greatest look of distain he could, but it wasn't very impressive as he looked like nothing more than a floating head.

Mamoru flashed the head a grin. "Time to get up!" he announced merrily. "I've got breakfast ready, porridge and toasted bread with jam, so hurry up before it gets cold!"

With a great, lumbering motion, Sokka got to his feet and brought his face level with Mamoru's. "D'you know what a hangover feels like?" he whispered hoarsely.

"Nope!" Mamoru answered, fixing Sokka with a cheeky grin. "Now up and at 'em, Sokka! D'you want mango juice with your food? I'll pour you some!" And without a backwards glance, the Earthbender strode out of the room and into the kitchen.

Once there, Mamoru ladled out a bowl of porridge, spread jam on a few pieces of toast, and poured two glasses of mango juice. By the time he'd set it all on the table, Sokka came limping into the kitchen, his hair pulled back and his eyes focused on the belt he was trying to tie around his waist. He paused as he spotted the meal and blinked up at Mamoru.

"This for me?" Sokka asked quietly, already sitting across from where Mamoru was standing.

"Yep!" Mamoru responded, taking a seat of his own and pushing a bowl toward Sokka. "Toph too, if she ever wakes up."

Sokka made a noncommittal grunt and pushed the porridge away, his nose wrinkling. Mamoru frowned.

"Don't you like porridge?" he asked, slightly offended that all his hard work was being so easily rejected.

"M'not hungry," Sokka forced out. He pushed the bowl farther away and instead reached for a glass of mango juice.

Mamoru took a sip of his own juice. "You'd better eat something, though," he advised, "if we're going out for tea later!"

Sokka tugged the ponytail at the back of his head and sighed. "M'not going out for tea."

Mamoru cocked his head to the side, looking puzzled. "Why wouldn't you be? I need to talk with you and everyone knows that it's easier to talk over a cup of tea!"

A flapping hand waved in his direction. "Maybe tomorrow," Sokka offered weakly.

"Tomorrow?" exclaimed Mamoru. "Oh, that will never do! Today, I think, right now would be as good as ever! Shall I make some jasmine tea, or would you prefer ginseng?"

Sokka cradled his head in his hands and Mamoru chuckled. "Jasmine it is!"

Polishing off his cup of mango juice, Mamoru strolled about the kitchen, gathering up the necessities of tea-making and humming loudly all the while. This seemed only to annoy Sokka, as he pressed his hands over his ears and groaned.

It only took a few minutes to gather all the things for making tea, and another few minutes to get the water boiling. Mamoru settled himself in his seat and prodded Sokka in the head, as he seemed to have fallen back asleep.

There was a grunt, and Sokka slapped at the younger man's hand. Mamoru laughed.

"For a second there, I thought you had drifted off," he said, allowing himself an airy smile.

"Unfortunately not," was Sokka's mumbled reply. He settled his chin firmly in his palms and eyed Mamoru. "What'd you wanna talk about again?"

A mischievous grin worked its way over the Earthbender's features as he coyly responded, "Oh, _nothing_, just the girl you've got hidden in your spare room."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "I don't have her hidden."

"Mmhmm, of course not!" cried Mamoru, waving his hand airily at Sokka. "Certainly you wouldn't hide her from all the men out there who would be _more_ than willing to date her!"

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "What're you saying—?"

"Ahh! Tea's done!" announced Mamoru, ignoring Sokka's pointed stare and instead pouring two cups of steaming jasmine tea for the both of them.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Sokka asked again, his eyebrows furrowed and his tea ignored.

Mamoru blew on his tea before taking a long sip. Then he lowered the cup and said inquisitively, "What's _what_ supposed to mean?"

"What'd you mean when you said I hide Toph from men who want to date her?"

"I'm just saying that you keep Toph very sheltered," Mamoru explained, shrugging his shoulders. "You didn't want me to have tea with her, and I wasn't even looking for a date!"

"I'm just looking out for her," Sokka said defensively. He added half-heartedly, "Besides, how was I s'posed to know you didn't wanna date Toph?"

"You didn't," agreed Mamoru. "But… she's such a cutie! What if I wanted to date her now?"

"I wouldn't let you," the warrior shot back coolly. "You're not her type."

Mamoru raised his eyebrows and fought back a smile. "You know Toph's type?" he questioned.

"'Course I do," Sokka insisted stoutly. "And it's not you, so _don't_ get any ideas."

"How do you know that?" Mamoru asked. "How many boyfriends has Toph had for you to figure out what type of men she likes?"

"She's had—" He opened his mouth, then paused, brows furrowed. Sokka took a thoughtful gulp of tea and finished, "None. At least, not any that I knew."

"Why?"

"I don't know!" snapped Sokka. "Besides, what does any of this have to do with me?"

Mamoru smiled. "I didn't say it had anything to do with you. Unless… it does?"

"'Course not. How many boyfriends Toph's never had has nothing to do with me," insisted Sokka.

Mamoru "hmm"ed and gave Sokka an inquisitive glance (which he avoided) before raising his nearly empty cup to his lips and drinking.

"Really," said Sokka again, as Mamoru busied himself with pouring more tea, "it has nothing to do with me. I mean, okay, sure, every once in a while I'll intervene—you know how creepy some people can be. But I'm just being a… a good big brother, that's all."

Mamoru paused from refilling Sokka's cup to remind him, "But Sokka… you're not her brother."

"Yeah, well," huffed Sokka, "I might as well be. I take care of her more than anyone."

"You're not complaining, though."

"Of course I'm not complaining! I like taking care of Toph, I like having her around. It's just like the old days, except without old food and a smelly flying bison."

"Without Avatar Aang and Katara, as well," added Mamoru.

"But without Aang and Katara," agreed Sokka. "Except… that's kind of how it was back then, too. My sister and her little boyfriend would do their thing and it would be just me and Toph."

"Did you and Toph do lots of thing together back then, too?" questioned Mamoru, adopting a posture of complete interest, leaning forward on his elbows and observing Sokka over the rim of his teacup.

"Yeah, we did," reminisced Sokka. "Katara and Aang liked to Waterbend all the time, so we'd do our own thing. I taught her now to swim and she taught me not to mess with angry Earthbenders."

Mamoru snorted into his tea and Sokka reached out to cuff his head.

"She's scary when she's mad, I'll have you know, more than my little sister, and I didn't think that was possible!"

"Do you make her angry all the time, then?" Mamoru asked, still trying to suppress his amusement.

"I think I still make her angry all the time," Sokka admitted, "but we never fight. I can't say the same for Katara, though."

"That's good," said Mamoru, smiling gently at the warrior. Then his easy expression morphed into one of horror. "Ah, wait! It's not good that she fights with Katara, that's bad, it's good that she doesn't fight with you!"

Sokka chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose that's a good thing."

Mamoru flashed a relieved smile and pushed the plate of cold toast toward Sokka. "You and Toph still do lots of things together," he prompted, pushing a bowl of cold, lumpy porridge in Sokka's direction as well.

"Yeah, we do," Sokka replied, shoving the dishes away with a frown. "Earth Rumble 11 is in a few weeks."

"Ah, that's right!" cried Mamoru excitedly. "I can't wait to see Toph fight again! I love watching her win; she's the very best fighter!"

"Mmhmm," Sokka murmured through a swallow of tea. "I even found a couple Benders for her to practice against."

"Oh, wow!" Mamoru laughed. "You sure are a dedicated coach!"

"I wouldn't say coach," muttered Sokka. "More like dedicated friend."

The Earthbender nodded understandingly. "What else do you do with Toph?" he wondered.

"Well, we go out to restaurants a lot," answered Sokka, "since neither of us are very good cooks."

"Don't you ever get mistaken for a couple?" Mamoru inquired curiously.

Sokka's face grew indifferent as he said flatly, "All the time."

"It must be because you two are so adorable together!" pronounced Mamoru with a bright smile, winking merrily at Sokka.

The Water Tribe warrior rolled his eyes and deadpanned, "That _must_ be it."

Mamoru tutted. "You don't have a girlfriend, do you?"

Sokka shook his head no.

"Ever wonder why?" asked the younger man. "It's because you're with Toph all the time. It's because you act like her boyfriend!"

"Wha—? I don't act like her _boyfriend_!" Sokka cried. "And the only reason I don't have a girlfriend is because I can't find a girl I like!"

"Or maybe," Mamoru suggested, "it's because you've _already_ found a girl you like."

"What? If you're saying Toph—!"

Mamoru grinned and shrugged. He watched Sokka frown for a moment before jumping to his feet and announcing, "Well, I'm gonna leave you to your thoughts! But I have one last question for you."

Sokka looked up at him and raised his eyebrows.

"Don't you ever wonder why it's you protecting Toph, and now some other man?"

Two blue eyes blinked up at him for a moment, then lowered quickly to the tabletop. Mamoru smiled softly and walked out of the kitchen and into the shady hallway.

"Morning, Toph!" he greeted the form immerging from room on the right.

Tired eyes didn't even turn in his direction as Toph's fist met Mamoru's shoulder.

"Shuddup," she growled, and staggered off to the kitchen.

Rubbing his arm to work away the pain, Mamoru watched as Toph gave Sokka a firm shove strong enough to knock him over, collapsed next to him, dropped her head to the tabletop, and said, "If you ever take me drinking again I'll kill you."

Blinking away his shock, Sokka patted Toph awkwardly on the back and murmured, "I'll keep that in mind."

Grinning, Mamoru slipped back into the hallway and had to contain a shout of glee. Everything was falling into place perfectly. Now all that was left was the final push in the right direction, and then those poor restaurant servers would never be mistaken about Sokka and Toph again.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! Feel free to stop by my lj (check out my profile for the link) -- I have lots of extra notes on _Big Brother_ and especially Mamoru, if you're interested! 


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